Just His Best Friend
by LIFE the RANGER
Summary: This contains boy/boy (eventually). I encourage you not to read it if you don't like that. Hal and Stig have been best friends forever. Hal has always been content with that, but during Brotherband training some unexpected feelings come about. Problem is, Hal isn't sure what he wants from Stig. To be best friends, or something more. Rated T for boy/boy.
1. Chapter 1

I have never written for this before, so I am equal parts excited and nervous. I hope this goes well. I hope you all like it since there's such a small fandom for this.

…

Hal Mikkelson was nervous, to say the least. His best friend, Stig, patted his back reassuringly. Hal glanced over his shoulder and smiled hesitantly at his friend. He knew Stig was just as nervous as he was, but the bigger boy would never admit it. Behind him, the twins, Ulf and Wulf were arguing and shoving each other back and forth. Ulf (or was it Wulf?) shoved Wulf (or Ulf) into Stig, who in turn stumbled forward into Hal. The smaller boy went sprawling and rolled onto his back in a daze. Stig reached down and hauled the smaller male to his feet.

"Watch it you two," Stig growled at the twins, who looked suitably chastened by what happened. Hal had just enough time afterwards to realize that Stig was holding his hand a lot longer than he probably should have before the bigger male took his hand away. Hal's stomach heaved painfully and he was surprised by the fact. He didn't like Stig that way. At least, he was pretty sure….

"Sorry Stig," Ulf (or Wulf) said at last, jostling Hal out of his thoughts. "Sorry Hal. Guess we got a little carried away." Hal smiled at whichever twin he was facing and quickly whirled around, facing the other twenty-eight eager faces. They were all waiting for their first instructions as full brotherbands, and everyone was abuzz with excitement. The rest of Hal's brotherband, Jesper, Stephan, Edvin, and Igvar all waited silently behind them. Some had smiles trying not to show on their faces, while others (mainly Edvin) focused solely ahead, waiting for Gort to come around and tell them what to do. Hal sighed inwardly and once again felt Stig's hand on his back. But this time, the bigger boy let it rest there for awhile before removing it. Once again, Hal felt that twinge of disappointment.

"Alright Heron Brotherband!" Gort called, striding into the clearing, the other two instructors behind him. The buzz of talk died instantly as everyone turned to stare at them. "Well, what are you ladies waiting for?" Gort asked snidely. "Get to your instructors!" The Shark and Wolf brotherbands scampered toward their own instructors while Gort turned to the Herons. "Alright guys, today is mock combat. Ulf and Wulf are sparring partners of course."

"No fighting about the weapons!" Hal snapped as each twin turned to the other. Gort shot the little skirl an approving look.

"Edvin and Stephan. Jesper and Igvar." Jesper groaned and hefted his axe over his shoulder, moving off with Igvar not far behind. "So that leaves Hal to spar with Stig." Gort looked meaningfully at the two friends. "No going easy on each other you hear." Stig grinned easily at the instructor and brandished his axe.

"No sir," he replied with a mock salute, steering Hal over to the side of the cleaning. Hal about dropped his fake practice sword when Stig touched him. It's not like the bigger boy hadn't touched him before. Quite the opposite actually. Stig always initiated physical contact. But never before had Hal been so rattled by the bigger boy's touch. "Hal?" Stig asked quietly, right in the smaller boy's ear, sending shivers down his spine. "Are you paying attention?"

"Huh?" Hal asked stupidly, then shook his head and held his sword aloft. "Yeah Stig," he replied half-heartedly. "Let's begin." Both boys instantly crouched and began circling each other, feigning and counter feigning for a bit before anyone actually made a move. Naturally, it was Stig. Without warning, he lunged forward and began a series of rapid blows, which Hal took on his shield. But he grunted with the impact and staggered a bit. Finally, Stig caught him off guard and slapped his side with the wooden axe. Hal cried out and dropped his sword, clutching his injured side and sinking to his knees.

"Are you okay?" Stig asked, immediately stopping. A few of the other Heron members paused in their mock battles as well and watched their skirl painfully heave himself to his feet once again. "I didn't hurt you too bad, did I?" Stig asked, discarding his wooden axe and shield and inspecting Hal. For a big brute, he had a light and gentle touch, and under it, Hal couldn't help but feeling a little better.

"I'm fine Stig," Hal replied at last, shrugging the bigger boy off. "I think it's safe to say you won that one. I'd be half a Hal right now." Despite how concerned Stig still looked, he laughed a little at his friend's joke. Smiling, Hal retrieved his weapons and they began again.

…

Hal, along with the rest of his brotherband, fell in an exhausted heap at the end of the day. After their mock battles, they went on a ten kilometer jog, each weighed down with a pack of rocks. So in addition to being tired, their shoulders were stiff and sore. Hal rubbed his aching shoulders, and then felt another set of hands begin to do that as well. He looked up and found Stig smiling down at him. He was too tired to fully comprehend what was happening, so he closed his eyes and let Stig massage his aching shoulders for awhile.

"Alright guys," he finally said, heaving himself to his feet. "Lights out in ten. Gather up what you need and bed down." Groaning, the members began to undress, fix equipment, or settle down in their sleeping spots. Hal removed his outer jacket and breeches and crawled into his sleep sack, closing his eyes.

"Move Ulf," Hal heard, and he smiled.

"But I'm Wulf!" the twin complained, glowering at Stig. The bigger boy glared right back at him.

"Whatever. Just move." Grumbling, Ulf (or Wulf) did so, and Stig spread his sleeping stuff next to Hal's spot, discarding his outer clothing as well. "What did you think of training today?" he asked, propping himself up on his elbow. Hal grinned and rolled onto his side, also propping himself up on his elbow.

"A bit tough," he replied. "But essential. I really hope we do navigation and sail trimming soon. Those are my favorite things to do. Besides, we have the Heron. It's the fastest ship in Skandia!"

"Don't let Erak hear you say that. He'd gut you like a herring," Stig replied seriously. Hal winced and held onto his still throbbing side. He was sure he was going to wake up with a nasty bruise in the morning. It served as a lesson though. Never let your guard down.

"I won't," Hal promised. "I'm just saying." Stig observed him quietly for a few moments, and Hal found himself studying Stig in turn. He'd never really thought about it before, but by Skandian standards he supposed his friend was handsome. It's not like he thought about it often! It was just an observation. Without thinking about it, he began to smile at his friend.

"What?" Stig scoffed. "Admiring the view?" Hal blushed faintly and glanced away, rolling onto his back and staring at the canvas ceiling. "I love brotherband training," Stig continued without missing a beat. "I'm glad we're learning. I'm also glad I'm on the same team as my best friend." Hal felt a sudden lump in his throat at Stig's word. His best friend. He was just his best friend. That's all he'd ever be. He rolled onto the side facing away from Stig as he felt the tears beginning to form in the corners of his eyes. He brushed them away with his hand and then slipped his hands under his head, closing his eyes.

"Me too," he said quietly. "Night Stig." He ignored his friend's noise of protest, and one by one the other members of the Herons fell silent as sleep claimed them. But Hal couldn't sleep. He rose from his sleeping sack and moved to stand outside since it was a pleasant night. He made his way over to the edge of their little clearing and leaned his back against a tree, closing his eyes once again. Stig's best friend. That's all he'd ever be. But why should her care. It's not like he liked Stig that way anyway. All the same, the more those words bounced around his skull, the suckier he felt. He didn't want to be Stig's best friend anymore. The problem was, he wasn't entirely sure what he wanted.


	2. Chapter 2

So, kind of a slow and shaky start. I apologize for the long lull in updating. I have other stories currently up on the PJO fandom that are not finished (and those guys will skin you alive if you leave a story sit for too long without an update). But I've done them in a rapid session, and I want them to sit and gather the reviews, so I'll update this in the meantime. Oh, won't that be fun.

…

Hal did the worst possible thing he could think to do over the next week; he avoided Stig. When it came to mock combat, Hal volunteered to spar with Jesper every time, which Stephan looked vexed about. He traded sleeping spots with Edvin, so he was as far away from his best friend as possible. In the morning, during breakfast, Hal found excuses to just not be there. Even during sail trimming and ship maintenance, if Hal needed help, he'd call on Jesper rather than Stig. Of course, the crew noticed the growing tension between their skirl and their helmsman, but they said nothing. What could they say? It was obvious something was going on between the two of them. And while Stig looked miserable, Hal did not. Not outwardly anyway. But inside, his heart was breaking. So of course, he got little sleep all week. And that in turn made him irritable and short-tempered.

And there is nothing scarier than a grumpy Skandian.

"Er, Hal," Jesper asked on one of the rare days the other boy decided to join them for breakfast. Though upon his arrival Stig politely excused himself, saying he was wanted anywhere but there. The rest of the crew watched him leave, dismayed. But none were as dismayed as Hal. The young skirl sat down moodily and took the offered plate of food. Edvin looked at him quickly before going back to poking the coals. Finally, it was Jesper who broke the awkward silence. "Hal," he asked again. "Is there something going on between you and Stig." Just for a moment, fear made Hal's blue eyes bluer, but then the fear subsided and he shrugged.

"No, there's nothing going on between us," he replied shortly. The rest of the crew glanced at each other. Of course, it was one of the twins who asked the next unfortunate question.

"Are you sure?" Wulf, or quite possibly Ulf, asked. "After all, I've never seen you guys…"

"I SAID THERE'S NOTING GOING ON, ALRIGHT?" Hal exploded, and the unfortunate twin actually scrambled backwards. Hal sighed and abandoned his plate of untouched food, stumbling blindly through the small patch of woods next to the Heron campsite. He found himself at the training ground, with the practice dummies newly replenished. He sank against one and smacked the back of his head against the wood. He never meant to actually yell at his crew like that. They were supposed to be a team. That wasn't what a good team leader did. He boosted moral, not tore it down. But he rather felt like a trapped wolf; afraid, alone, and very snappish. It wasn't as if Wulf, or Ulf (and at this point he could honestly care less who was who), had meant anything bad by the comment. But Hal's heart twisted painfully every time he thought about Stig. That still didn't excuse his behavior.

"Hal!" someone, most likely Jesper, called. "It's almost time for another assessment. Sighing, Hal heaved himself to his feet and retraced his steps to the campsite. He found the rest of the crew clustered around the fire, awaiting orders. Stig was back from wherever he'd been, and Hal focused his attention elsewhere, once again feeling his heart twist painfully.

"Alright guys," he said to the assembled team. "Two lines. I'll lead one, and Stig will lead the other. Four to a side. March right in." Hal took his place in front of Jesper, and Stig slid in front of Stephan. Hal nearly leaped out of his boots when Stig brushed his hand lightly across his own, without so much as one glance at Hal. The young skirl took a couple deep breaths, then ordered them to begin marching. They soon reached the training ground, the last to do so, but they looked the most organized. Tursgud and Rollond glanced at their own crews, crowded behind them without any rhyme or reason. The Herons certainly looked professional enough.

"Alright ladies," Gort said, once again taking the reins. "Today's assessment is wrestling. Pick the best person for the job and meet us back here in about ten minutes." Each brotherband moved off in different directions, talking earnestly. The Herons moved off so they were in front of the woods between their campsite and the training ground. They watched with interest as the wooden posts were removed and a circle about four meters across was sketched out in the grass.

"I think we all know who should do the wrestling," Stig boasted. Hal rolled his eyes dramatically.

"Igvar?" Wulf joked. The rest of the Herons fell back laughing while Stig reddened considerably. He began to sputter, which caused the rest of the crew to laugh harder. Hal was the first to recover and he slapped Stig on the back, fighting back to urge to shiver at the close contact.

"Now Stig, we all know you're the best for the job," he told his best friend, who actually beamed at him. Hal's broken heart gave a little flutter when Stig smiled at him, as it usually did. Stig patted Hal's hand, then removed it from his back. "Don't let them bait you," Hal added. "They'll try and get you to attack first by taunting you, but don't let that bother you. Here's what you do so that doesn't happen…"

…

The wrestling ended in a tie between the Wolves and the Herons, and Tursgud and his crew didn't get any points, which made Hal as happy as could be. There was much celebration around the fire that night, and there were laughs and jokes about Tursgud's final knockout, done by Stig himself. Hal and Stig sat side by side as if nothing had happened over the last week, and it seemed to put the team at ease. Every now and then, hidden from view, Stig would occasional brush his hand against Hal's, sending shivers up and down the young skirl's body. Finally, his best friend rested his hand on top of his, and kept it there. Hal shot up suddenly, starling the team.

"I, uh, need to go for a walk," he stammered, turning on his heel and practically running away. Never before had Hal been so lost for words. And he'd spent a lot of time with Stig before brotherband training. Why was he starting to have feelings for his best friend _now_? "By Gorlog's fist, I don't love him. I don't love him!" Hal stumbled to a halt and sank against the nearest tree, burying his head in his hands. "I don't love him," he told himself softly. "I can't love him. He's my best friend, and I his. That's all I'm ever going to be. I'll just be his best friend." Hal sat there, trying to beat away the emotions he was feelings, long after the sun set. There was a decided chill in the air, and the young skirl shuddered, pulling his sheepskin vest tighter around himself. He thought longingly of his sleeping spot in the warmth of the Heron quarters.

Hal slowly made his way to the campsite, slipping into the small hut silently. Everyone was already asleep. Or almost everyone. Stig was leaned against the far wall, eyes closed. He opened them like he could sense his best friend's presence now in the hut. Hal wordlessly strode passed him and stripped down to his inner clothing, climbing into his sleeping sack, pulling it tightly around himself. Stig sank down beside him and silently watched as he got ready. Sighing, Hal turned over to face him.

"What is it Stig?" he asked irritably. Stig gave him a crooked smile and took his hand out of the sleeping sack, massaging the palm gently. Hal couldn't suppress a shudder, and this time Stig's smile was more genuine.

"Whatever has been happening the last week, I'm sorry," Stig said softly, and Hal was taken aback. Stig never apologized for anything. "I don't know what I've done to upset you, but I hope you can forgive me. You're my best friend Hal; I don't want to lose you like this." Hal felt a lump in his throat and he nodded slowly.

"I forgive you Stig," he replied. "Though you needn't apologize. It was all my fault." Stig shook his head.

"Thinking too much again Hal?" he asked. "That's always dangerous. Get some sleep Hal. Jesper told me you haven't slept properly in days." Stig released the young skirl's hand and moved to his own spot, on the opposite side of the hut. Hal propped himself up and watched as Stig settled down for the night. "Night Hal," Stig called softly. "See you in the morning." Stig's slightly massive build was just visible, and he appeared to be facing away from Hal. The young skirl sighed and rolled onto the side facing away from Stig.

"I don't love him," he repeated, over and over, until sleep claimed him.

…

I really hope this is longer than the last chapter. And slightly better.


	3. Chapter 3

Hmmmm, I can't tell if 43 views in a month is good or not. I don't know much about this fandom yet. Though I am enjoying this story a lot, because I like Brotherband, even if it isn't as well-known as Ranger's Apprentice. I always thought these two should be together. It makes sense, does it not?

…

Hal woke up feeling like he had been repeatedly punched in the stomach by Tursgud. It didn't help that Stig was nowhere to be seen. Now that they were on speaking terms, he wanted to confront Stig and ask him a few questions. Maybe the larger boy sensed something was coming and took off before Hal woke. That left a bitter taste in his mouth, worse than the medicine that Edvin made him take when he wasn't sleeping or eating properly.

"I don't love him," Hal whispered to himself periodically as he got himself ready for the day. He made a quick detour down to the creek to bathe, mostly so he could have alone time. He didn't want to face his team quite yet. Most were still sleeping or just waking up, and he didn't want to bother them. He took his outer clothing down to the creek with him, stripped down to his underwear, and stepped into the water, gasping when the cold water hit his bare skin for the first time. "By Gorlog's great hands I don't love him!" he hissed, dunking himself.

"Don't love who?" a voice asked when the young skirl surfaced. Hal turned toward the voice and wished he could drown himself. Stig was sitting on a flat rock beside the creek, watching Hal through slitted eyes. The water covered up to the young skirl's waist, which he was thankful for. He'd never felt self-conscious about his appearance in front of Stig before, but now that he may have feelings for him, he did. "Hal?" the bigger boy asked again, and Hal blinked. "Who don't you love?" he asked again.

"No one important Stig," Hal replied, wading out a little farther. He hated saying that to his best friend, because of course Stig was important to him. He was Hal's best friend. Just his best friend. Nothing more. "It's nothing. I'm just thinking out loud." He gazed at his clothing spread out on the bank. Stig eyed it too and smiled wolfishly at Hal.

"I see you've left your clothing, and your towel, on shore," Stig said, snatching up everything. "Why don't you come get them?" Hal crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. He wasn't letting Stig bait him into getting out only to do something nasty to him. "I promise you Hal, I won't do anything. You've changed in front of me before. What makes this different?"

"Nothing," Hal responded heatedly. _Just that I like you more than I thought_, he added to himself. "I just don't want to get out right now." Stig tilted his head to the side and studied the smaller boy. He still had his arms folded in front of his chest, like he was protecting himself. "Stig, please, just leave." That made the bigger boy mad.

"Why?" he asked irritably. "Why are you pushing me aside Hal. We used to be so close. Now I feel like we're complete strangers. Gorlog's teeth, you talk to Jesper more than you talk to me, and you've known me longer! What's really going on? I know when something's bothering you, and I want to know what is." Hal looked away and blushed. Was he that transparent all the time? He really didn't want to try and explain things to Stig now. But then again, when would he get another chance? Stig was here. He had the bigger boy's full attention. No one else was around.

"Okay fine," Hal relented, climbing out. He held out his hand and Stig handed him the towel. He dried himself quickly, then retrieved his clothing and dressed himself again. "Something is bothering me. I like someone from our team, but I'm not sure how to go about telling him I like him." Stig got a funny look.

"Don't you like our whole team?" he asked. Hal would've gladly smacked him upside the head. He was being purposely stupid. No one would be that stupid.

"I mean, I like like someone from our team," the young skirl responded through gritted teeth. "The kind of like that makes you want to, you know, date the person." Stig's eyes widened considerably and he made a perfect little O of surprise with his mouth.

"Oh," he said softly. "You're gay?" Hal nodded miserably. Maybe it was a bad idea telling Stig how he felt. "Hey, that's cool," Stig replied, placing his hand on Hal's shoulder. "So who is it you like? Is it Jesper? Is that why you've been talking to him a lot?" Hal shook his head.

"No, I don't like Jesper," he replied. "I'm pretty sure Stephan likes Jesper. Would it be okay if I not tell you who it was? I don't even want to admit it to myself yet." Stig grinned easily at him.

"Hey, no problem," he responded. "But when you're ready to tell, I want to be the first person to know." He gave Hal an awkward one arm hug, then sauntered off. Hal stared at his retreating form, wishing so bad he hadn't hugged him. The contact made electricity shoot up his spine and left him feeling tingly. Hal decided it was time to tell the whole team the truth. Not who he liked (or loved, he wasn't sure which), but about who he was.

"I don't love him," he repeated for perhaps the thousandth time. Steeling his nerves, he marched back to camp. "Herons, come here please," he called across the clearing. All activity ceased as the team slowly gathered around him. "I have something to tell you all," he began. He stuffed his hands into his pockets so the team wouldn't see them shaking. "I really hope this doesn't change your opinion of me, and I really hope you'll keep me as skirl when I'm done." Stig moved beside him, not saying anything, just being a sense of calm over the young skirl. He felt the bigger boy's hand on his back, much like the first day they had an assessment.

"What is it Hal?" Ingvar asked. The other members of the Heron Brotherband mumbled in agreement with the young giant. They wanted to know what Hal's announcement was. Hal closed his eyes, his nerves beginning to waver. He couldn't do this. He just couldn't. Stig's began rubbing circles on his back, the only thing keeping him from running away into the woods like a frightened child.

"Quiet!" Stig bellowed, and the Herons instantly fell into silence. "Your skirl is going to speak now." He pressed his lips to Hal's ear. "It's okay Hal. I'm right here if you need me."

"Alright guys, there's something you need to know about me," Hal said quietly. The other members leaned forward so they could hear their skirl better. Hal took a deep breath. "Guys…I'm gay. I like someone from our team." He closed his eyes and leaned against Stig, who circled his arms around him and murmured to him, telling him that he did a good job. He cracked one eye open and was met with six smiling faces.

"We kind of figured skirl," Edvin said. "The way you've been acting kind of gave it away. But who do you like?"

"I think I know!" Wulf cried out. "I bet it's Jesper! Hal's been talking to him a lot and calling on him when he needs something. He even wants to spar with him." Stephan turned a murderous eye to the unlucky twin. Wulf backpedaled. "What? It's logical."

"It's not Jesper," Hal replied with a sigh. "I'm not telling you who it is. I haven't even told Stig yet, so what makes you think I'm telling you?" There a small wave of laughter, and all the tension seemed to leave the campground.

…

"Hey, what you did, that was really brave," Stig said softly to Hal later that night. Both boys couldn't sleep, so they were sitting side by side again one wall of the hut, outside. There were no clouds or rain, and the sky was brilliantly clear. "I've faced bullies and battled creatures before, but I don't think I'd ever have the courage to do what you did."

"It wasn't anything special," Hal replied, blushing a little. Stig didn't offer praise much, so being praised by him was a rare treat. "I was just tired of hiding who I really was. It was bound to get out at camp eventually, might as well beat them to the punch. I just hope Tursgud doesn't find out." He grimaced. "Imagine what he'd do if he found out that I like boys."

"That doesn't make you any different than the rest of us," Stig protested. "It's just another thing that makes you so unique. So special." Hal sighed.

"I dunno Stig," the young skirl replied. "Tursgud might see it as a weakness he can exploit. I don't want it to get to that point, so we should inform the team to keep it on the down low." Stig gently shoved his shoulder into the smaller boy's. Hal smiled at him. "Thanks for listening Stig."

"What are friends for?" Stig asked. Hal glanced away, blinking back tears. Why did Stig have to keep reminding him that they were only friends, and nothing more?

"Yeah," Hal replied thickly. "I think I'm going to turn in for the night. Good nigh Stig, see you in the morning." Hal moved off before Stig could say anything. He disappeared inside the hut and settled into his spot. What if he didn't want to be just friends with Stig anymore? He wanted to date Stig now, now that he could tell himself he liked his best friend. It still wasn't love though.

…

Yay, it's longer!


	4. Chapter 4

It's been awhile, has it not? I've finished Slaves of Socorro, and I'm in a Brotherband mood now (it honestly comes and goes).

…

They had no real competition today, so Hal was taking the time to get the other Herons introduced to their boat, also called the Heron. Igvar hovered near the back of the crowd, squinting at the boat. Wulf and Ulf were shoving each other back and forth, bickering quietly. Only Edvin, Stephan, Jesper, and Stig remained quiet as Hal gave the tour. Sighing inwardly, he climbed into the steering platform.

"QUIET!" he bellowed, and instantly all noise died down. Stig gave Hal an amused look. "If you don't keep quiet, I'm having Igvar throw you in the water." Ulf and Wulf exchanged a look. Obviously, that was meant for them. Stephan and Jesper also looked mildly amused. "Ulf, Wulf, stand ready at the mast. Stephan, Stig, get ready to raise the sail. Edvin and Igvar, cast us off. Jes, come with me." Jesper curiously followed Hal up to the steering platform. Hal rested his hands lightly on the tiller as Igvar and Edvin cast off.

"Did you need me for something in particular Hal?" Jesper asked. The young skirl looked sideways at him and grinned.

"Not really," he admitted. "I just wanted to see Stephan squirm a bit." Sure enough, Stephan was giving Hal and Jes sour looks from time to time while he waited for Hal to give him the word. "Though when we're out, I want you to keep lookout," the skirl added. "Even if we're not too far out. You never know what you could spot." The former thief nodded. It was logical. Plus, he had to admit, it was interesting to watch Stephan give them looks. Jesper knew for a fact Hal didn't like him. Whenever he called him, he was normally distracted.

"Hal?" he asked, and the young skirl looked at him.

"Push us off Igvar!" he called to the big youth. Igvar, with the help with Edvin, shoved the boat into the water. When they were safely afloat, Hal turned to Jesper, waiting patiently beside him. "What is it Jes?" he asked.

"I was just wondering, the person you like…" Hal held up his hand, his stomach heaving. Jesper may very well guess who it really was, and if he did, Hal wasn't sure he could lie to Jesper. He may be comfortable with who he was, but he wasn't comfortable with everyone knowing who he liked. "Can I guess?" Jes asked.

"If you must," Hal replied distractedly. "Stig, Stephan, hoist the starboard sail!" Stig and Stephan began raising the sail, with Wulf and Ulf ready to sheet it home when necessary. Hal didn't want them to yet. He wanted Stig and Stephan to raise and lower the alternating sails. "Lower the starboard sail!" Hal called to Stig and Stephan.

"Hal?" The young skirl turned to find Jesper staring at him. He sighed.

"By Gorlog's teeth and nails, what do you want Jes?" he asked, more than a little irritable. But he was a little fearful.

"Your crush," Jesper insisted. He wasn't backing down. He figured Hal wouldn't tell Stig because it was Stig himself he liked. He'd gotten the inkling after their first fight and Hal wouldn't talk to him. He knew his skirl felt too prideful to admit he was in the wrong sometimes. And he was definitely too prideful, and embarrassed, to admit he liked Stig, and that's why he was reluctant to tell him. "It's Stig, isn't it?" he asked. Hal's eyes widened and he looked around. He clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Stig, take the tiller!" he called. He moved with Jesper farther back, away from the steering board. Stig hopped up and grabbed the tiller, making it so the boat didn't sway back and forth with the waves. "Jes, you must listen to me, or I will throw you to Tursgud." Now it was Jesper's turn to widen his eyes. "Yes, it's Stig," Hal hissed. "But you must tell no one, do you understand? If I hear one word from you, you're as good as wolf's meat." Calmly, Jesper pried his skirl's fingers from his vest. He knew Hal was only acting out of fear and maybe a little shame. Like it was any way shameful to have a crush on someone.

"Hal, I swear on my mam's grave I won't tell anyone," Jesper promised. "You're secret's safe with me." Hal eyed him warily. Stig was trying to listen in, and he'd caught scattered parts of their conversation. If he had to guess, he's say Jesper put two and two together and came up with the right answer. "Stig, what are you doing?" Jes snapped, because Hal was clearly out of it. "Steph and Edvin are awaiting orders from you." Stig flushed and turned back to Stephan and Edvin, positioned near the sails and rigging. Jesper felt a hand on his shoulder, and when he looked back, it was Hal.

"Thank you," he said simply. Jesper shrugged. Anything to help his skirl.

…

Hal leaned back on his hands after the meal, quite content. He had a mug of coffee next to him, a real rarity around the brotherbands. Edvin sure knew how to cook. The rest of the Herons were talking and joking and nudging each other. Or just generally being boys. When Hal and Jesper finished talking, Hal resumed control of the tiller, and they practiced raising and lowering the sails, and Ulf and Wulf got to practice trimming and sheeting. But there was a major difference. Stephan and Jesper were in charge of the sails, and Stig moved up with Hal as helmsman. They all figured it would be Jesper, which admittedly made Stig a little jealous.

"We did good today, didn't we Hal?" Stig asked, sitting beside the young skirl. Hal glanced over at his best friend. Like Hal, Stig was leaning back on his hands, letting the last of the rare sun soak into his skin. Since it was so rainy in Skandia, all the Skandians were fair-skinned, with light features. Stig would get sunburn if he sat there much longer, but since the sun was setting, it hardly mattered.

"We really felt like a brotherband today," Hal observed quietly. "A team." He noticed Steph and Jes sitting side by side, looking happier than he'd seen either of them look in days. _They really like each other_, he mused to himself. "Look at that," he told Stig, motioning to the two boys. Stig narrowed his eyes as he observed them, but then he smiled.

"They sure look happy," he said. "With you keeping Jes occupied, Steph wasn't too happy. If you'd kept him to yourself much longer, we'd have two angry people on our hands."

"Two?" Hal questioned.

"Yes, two," Stig responded. "First we'd have Steph, because you kept Jes to yourself. And then there'd be me, because you kept Jes to yourself." Hal started when Stig said that, but he tried to cover it up with a cough. Stig glanced away, feigning innocence. He figured Hal wouldn't want him to call out his little bluff. That could make for an unhappy skirl and irritable Skandian. And you did not want to be on the wrong end of an irritable Skandian. It was bad for your health.

"Alright Herons," Hal said, heaving himself up from his comfortable position. "Early bedtime tonight." There were a few grumbles, but after the eventful day with the Heron, the members of the brotherband were generally too tired to properly complain. A few ducked inside the shelter, and Hal smiled when Jesper barked at Ulf to move (or quite possibly Wulf, you were never sure about those two). That was the second time Ulf was ordered to move. With much grumbling, the unfortunately twin switched spots again, moving to the spot second behind the door. Hal had the middle, and Stig was to his right. Hal was comfortable with the arrangement, and it made sense for him to be in the middle. Not only was he the skirl, he was the only one able to keep the peace. "Walk with me Stig," Hal ordered, marching off without waiting for an actual reply. Stig hurried to follow the young skirl into the short stretch of woods. Together, they sat against the bole of a tree and stared up at the sky, overcast now that night had begun to fall.

"What's this all about?" Stig asked, closing his eyes. He didn't need to look at Hal to communicate with him. And since when were Skandians big on formalities. Hal shrugged, then realized Stig wouldn't be able to see such an action.

"No reason other than to get some quiet," he replied. "And now we're out of earshot, unless Jes decides to come spy on us." The sides of Stig's mouth lifted a little at that. He knew Jes wouldn't come looking for them, because it would mean the end of a very nice set of teeth for him.

"Speaking of Jes," Stig said, cracking one eye open. He noticed the way Hal's muscles tensed involuntarily when he mentioned the former thief. "What did you two talk about? It looked very serious." Hal covered up his momentary panic with a shrug.

"Nothing too important," he replied, feeling the usual twist in his gut as he said it. Of course it was important. It was Stig they were discussing. But the young skirl couldn't come right out and say that. That would definitely look bad. "Just the best tactics for when we sail." Stig frowned thoughtfully.

"Shouldn't you discuss those with me?" he asked. Hal nodded.

"That's what he told me!" he said with forced enthusiasm, but it seemed to work. Stig chuckled and settled back more comfortably. Hal glanced sideways at his best (and for a long time his only) friend. And even referring to Stig as his friend in his thoughts caused his heart pain. He didn't want Stig to be his best friend anymore. He wanted him as a partner.

…

I have no idea if this was longer or shorter. All my stories got deleted from my computer when it crashed, and obviously they disappeared from my doc files some time back.


	5. Chapter 5

So, interesting review. And holy balls it's been a loooooong time. Like, ridiculously long. Yes, I've read Scorpion Mountain. Like, back in December when it became available. I've just been… There's no excuse for this. I apologize.

…

Stig wasn't necessarily happy. At least, not with the distance Hal was putting between them. It seemed like his best friend was trying to avoid him. Best friend. The two words left a bitter taste in his mouth. Not because they weren't true. Stig would gladly move mountains if Hal asked him to. No, it was because Stig had begun to think they'd transition into something more than friends. But nothing. Hal was just as unreachable as ever.

It didn't help that he seemed to favor Jesper for everything lately. Sure, he'd called for Stig's company a couple times. But more often than not, if you found the skirl, you found his loyal shadow. And it was beginning to rub Stig the wrong way. It should've been him that Hal called on. Not Jesper. There was something incredibly wrong about this picture.

Stig smiled. He wasn't the only one who was getting mad. Stephan scowled every time Hal called the former thief away. And if he were to admit it, it was interesting to watch the mimic squirm, even just a little. The other night, around the fire, it seemed to be the first time everyone was genuinely happy.

"Stig!" He was pulled roughly from his daydreaming by his skirl. He blinked a couple times. Hal was standing a few feet away, arms crossed. "Didn't you hear me?" he asked. Mutely, Stig shook his head. He didn't have the heart to tell him he'd been spacing off thinking of him. "We have to get going. They have a new challenge for us." Stig looked around guiltily. Everyone was gathering weapons and making last minute repairs. He heaved himself to his feet.

"Of course Hal," he mumbled, shuffling off. "Sorry." A hand on his shoulder stopped him. He looked up. Hal was close. Temptingly close. Stig refrained. He felt like they were on eggshells right now. One false move, and everything would break. No matter how bad he wanted to kiss his best friend, he just couldn't.

"Whatever's in your head," Hal said. "Get it out. We need everyone in top shape for the challenge." He turned on his heel and walked away, checking everyone's equipment. Stig followed him with his eyes. How was he supposed to get whatever was on his mind out when Hal was what was on his mind? How could he just totally ignore his best friend? Best friend. Those two awful words again. Stig was beginning to hate them, no matter how accurate they were. "Ready?" Hal called out. "Formations." Everyone formed their two lines. Stig wasn't sure where he should be placed. He almost thought that Jesper would lead one line, since Hal seemed to like him better than Stig himself these days. But Jesper motioned in front of himself.

"Aren't you going to take your place?" he asked. Now the whole brotherband, Hal included, was staring at him. Stig felt heat rise to his cheeks as he took his place at the head of one of the lines. Wordlessly, Hal slid into place next to him. He glanced over at his friend. He wanted to reach out and take his hand, but he held back. Now was not the time. They marched briskly to the training grounds, coming to a neat halt. They'd been practicing.

"Alright Herons, gather round," Gort said. The Herons did so, with barely a sound. The only real noise from them was the sound of practice weapons rattling in scabbards. The Wolves and Sharks mumbled amongst themselves. The Herons certainly acted more professional than they did. "Today's challenge is simple, and won't be played until later." We're just telling you slightly ahead of time. Stig glanced up. The sun was sinking below the horizon.

"What is it?" Stephan asked. The other members muttered agreements. Everyone was just as curious. Then Hal seemed to have a flash of brilliance.

"It's the night game," he said. "That's what it is, isn't it? After all, the sun is setting." Gort nodded. That boy sure had a good head on his shoulders. And a good brain in that head. Stig looked at his friend, impressed. He probably wouldn't have guessed that even if they'd told him at breakfast.

"That's right," Gort answered, and now the buzz of conversation was exited. They'd been waiting for this particular challenge with anticipation. "The rules are simple; put your teams' token into the shed without getting caught. If you get caught, you're out. You have a few minutes to prepare. Get to it." Hal led his crew away. Stig watched him with interest. He wondered what their skirl had in mind.

"Does anyone know what shed he means?" Hal asked the assembled crew. Nobody said anything. Finally, Jesper raised a tentative hand.

"There's a run-down shed on the top of the hill over there," he said, pointing. Seven pairs of eyes turned to look in the direction he'd been pointing. They could just make out a dark shape. Hal nodded.

"Okay, so I'm guessing another brotherband is going to be guarding, since it seems to be a sort of game. Here's what I suggest we do…"

…

Hal's strategy had been simple; use Stephan and Jesper to their advantage. Jesper was a thief; he could sneak anywhere without a sound. Stephan could mimic any voice, including Tursgud. Which they'd done. They'd created a diversion while Jesper slipped silently by, winning them the necessary points. There was much to celebrate about back at the camp, but everyone was beyond exhausted. Lights out was supposed to be hours ago. But with the night game going on, they'd skipped it. The only good thing was breakfast was pushed back.

"Good job everyone," Hal praised as the members got ready for sleep. Stephan and Jesper were already laying down, facing each other and talking quietly. Ingvar was gathering things at one end of the makeshift hut. Hal was seated on his spot, staring at everyone. Stig sat beside him.

"Good job to you," he said, and Hal felt unexpectedly warmed by his friends praise. Then he beat himself up about liking it. He had to stop letting Stig affect him like that. Maybe if he just ignored his feelings, they'd go away. He could only hope. Stig simply stared at him, a smile on his face. Not that sort of smile he gave Tursgud and the other Sharks, or Rolland and the Wolves. No, it seemed to be a smile for Hal and only Hal.

"Lights out," Hal said softly, as if he needed to. His crew was either already laying down, or already passed out. Hal noticed that Stephan and Jesper were sleeping awfully close together. But he didn't say anything. Stig followed his gaze. He was smiling at them now, and Hal felt his stomach twist. He wanted that smile on him. Quickly, he rose. Stig looked up curiously. "I'm going on a walk," he said shortly. He went to leave, but Stig wrapped a hand around his wrist and held him tight. Hal glanced at him. "Stig…" he said warningly.

"Stay Hal, please," Stig said quietly. Hal jerked his hand away. But he didn't move. He just stared down at his best friend, who in turn was looking up at him. His expression was decidedly neutral now. No smile, no frown, no anything. Finally, Hal sighed and sat back down. Stig smiled at him. "That's better," he said. "How come you always run away? There's nothing to worry about you know." Hal looked down at his hands. There wasn't anything to worry about. You know, other than being in love with his best friend. Who would never be anything more than that.

"I know," Hal said. "And I'm not running. I'm just…" What was he doing? He didn't even know anymore. It certainly didn't look good. Stig watched his skirl, his friend, struggling an internal battle. He reached out and took Hal's hand in his. Hal flinched.

"Easy," Stig whispered. "Easy Hal, it's alright." He'd just wanted to see how his friend reacted. Hal looked up at his friend's solemn face. Stig waited for Hal to say something, anything. Hal didn't know what to say, so he simply applied pressure to Stig's hand. He yawned. Now that he was settled down, he was tired. "Let's rest," Stig said, laying down. Hal laid down beside him, then seemed to notice that Stig was still holding his hand.

"Um," Hal said. Stig looked at him for a moment. "Are you going to let go of my hand?" Hal asked, flaring red. Stig shrugged and let go of his hand. He hadn't been. But if it would make his best friend happy. So be it. "Goodnight Stig," Hal said, turning over to face away from him. He didn't want his friend to see the tears in his eyes.

…

Stig couldn't sleep, which was weird because they'd been busy all day long. But watching Hal sleep defeated had been the worst thing he'd seen. He'd listened carefully to Hal as he slept. And he could hear his crying. Or rather, crying himself to sleep. He was heartbroken because he didn't know what to do. He didn't know how he could help. He reached out like he wanted to touch him, but at the last moment he decided not to.

Stig sat up and scrubbed at his face. Sleep wasn't going to happen. Not right now. He looked over at Hal, who appeared to be sleeping soundly enough. He reached out and gently touched his friend's shoulder. Hal mumbled in his sleep and rolled to face him. Stig smiled softly. He was glad that Hal could have some peace now. I hoped he wouldn't have to hear his best friend cry himself to sleep again.

He lay down next to Hal and simply listened to him for awhile. It was nice to be able to hear his own thoughts, sure, but he'd much rather observe his best friend. He gently brushed Hal's hair out of his face. He smiled some more. He couldn't help it. Hal made him happy, whether he knew it or not. He frowned. Hal was asleep. He could… He scooted closer, so close that he could feel his friend's breath on his face. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. It was now or never. He leaned in close, so close that their lips were just centimeters apart.

…

I feel like leaving it on a cliffhanger. With luck, maybe the better part of a year won't pass this time before I update again. I hope so.


	6. Chapter 6

Hey, I'm back after almost a full year of hiatus, because I sorta suck at this whole updating thing. I'm going to try guys, really. You just have to remember, I have an almost full time job.

…

Stig gazed down at his friend, feeling his breath against his lips. Gorlog's teeth, he just had to lower himself a few more centimeters, and he'd be doing something that he'd been wanting to do for days now. Maybe weeks. He wasn't sure. But Hal groaned and shifted slightly, and Stig lost all his nerve. He threw himself onto his own mat, breathing heavily himself. Did he really just almost do that?

"Stig?" The young Skandian swallowed hard when he heard Hal's voice. "What's going on?" He rolled onto his side to face his skirl, who gazed at him sleepily. It took all of Stig's willpower not to wrap Hal up and kiss him senseless. "I just had the strangest dream…" Hal continued.

"Oh?" Stig asked. "What was it about?" He was hoping that Hal wouldn't tell him what he'd just try to do.

"Can I be honest with you?" the skirl asked. "You won't run?"

"Of course not silly," Stig replied. "Go on then. What was your dream about?" Hal glanced around, making sure that everyone else was bedded down for the night. He scooted himself closer to Stig, so close, in fact, that he could feel the heat radiating off his friend's body. He shivered. "What's wrong Hal?" Stig asked quietly.

"I…I don't know," Hal admitted. He wasn't always straightforward with his feelings, so the bluntness was a surprise. "I just… I had a dream that you, of all people, were trying to kiss me. I don't know why?" Good thing Stig was still far enough away from Hal, because he was sure the skirl would've heard his sharp intake of breath. Or his heart slamming against his ribs.

"What?" he asked, forcing a laugh. "That's ridiculous. Why would I try to kiss you?" This was going to destroy him to say. It was a straight up lie. "I don't even like you that way." He heard Hal choke back a sob, and he almost wanted to take it back. Almost. But he didn't. "You don't like me, do you?" he asked.

"No," Hal said quietly. "I, uh, gotta go. I'll…see you tomorrow." He heard Hal rising quickly, then rushing out, crying quietly to himself. Stig sat up, staring at the door, hoping against all hope that for some reason his friend would come back. But after a few agonizing minutes, it was clear that Hal wasn't coming back. Stig sighed, falling backwards. He was such an idiot.

Hal, for his part, simply ran and ran until he couldn't anymore, tears blurring the track in front of him. He knew Stig didn't like him that way, but Gorlog's great horns it _hurt_ to hear that. More than it should've. Of course he wouldn't like Hal that way. They were best friends, not partners. And they never would be now. Hal sank against a tree, placing his head in his hands. He took great, shuddery breaths, trying desperately to calm himself down.

"Don't get yourself worked up," he whispered to himself. "You have a brotherband to lead. You can't go soft now." But his heart hurt worse than before. Hearing Stig actually say that… He almost wished he was being punched in the stomach by Tursgud. It would ultimately hurt less. He knew he shouldn't have shared his dream. He shouldn't have put his heart out on the line at all. He knew it was a bad idea. But good Gorlog above he'd hoped against all hope that Stig would return at least some of his feelings. Any at all. He'd left himself so vulnerable the last few days. Admitting he was gay and liked someone on the team. That had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done. Even harder than controlling his group of outcasts.

"Hal?" The young skirl stiffened when he heard Stig calling for him, scarcely daring to breathe. Maybe if he'd chased after him right away, he might've considered it. But he hadn't. How could Hal believe a word he said if he didn't care about him enough to make sure he was alright when he clearly wasn't? "Hal, where are you?" Stig called, worry lacing his voice. He'd been sure Hal had run this way, but now he wasn't so sure. "Hal, please. It's dangerous to be out here at night by yourself." But Hal still said nothing, instead listening intently. How could he pretend to care about him? It was pretty clear he didn't. "Hal?" Stig sounded awfully close. "Hal!" The skirl leapt to his feet when Stig appeared out of the darkness. "Thank goodness. You had me worried."

"Why do you even care?" Hal asked, striding away. It took Stig a moment to realize what happened, and then he followed Hal at a slightly slower pace. "You're so thick-skulled it makes me sick," Hal continued.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Stig asked, his anger flaring. He tried to beat it back, however, because he really didn't want to fight with Hal. Not again. "I can't be thick-skulled about anything if I have no idea what's going on!" That at least made sense in his own mind.

"You're clueless," Hal mumbled. Stig had enough of this. He grabbed Hal's wrist and spun him around. The young skirl glanced up at his first mate, his eyes widening. Stig was never rough with him. The stern look soon melted from his friend's eyes and he chuckled lowly, brushing Hal's hair from his face. The skirl glanced down. "Stig…" he mumbled. He should be completely honest with him. After all, this was his best friend. Just his best friend, nothing more. But he could still trust him with information, right? "What you said earlier, about not liking me?" Stig nodded, gently encouraging his friend to continue. "I don't know why but…it hurt. A lot."

"It did?" Stig asked, even though he already knew. He had a feeling he knew what was coming, but he didn't want to pressure his friend into saying anything. "Come here," he said softly, wrapping his strong arms around his friend. Hal closed his eyes and leaned his head on Stig's chest. Stig said nothing, simply holding Hal and letting him collect his thoughts. "Do you still like Jesper?" he asked after awhile, to change the subject. Much to his surprise, Hal laughed.

"You think I like Jesper too?" he asked, shaking his head. "That's absurd! I like…" He stopped abruptly. Did he really want to say it? But at Stig's look, he knew he could continue. "I like you," he finally said, glancing down. "I have for awhile. I just… I haven't known how to say it. But I really, really like you." Hal felt tears in his eyes again. "But you don't like me back," It was Hal's turn to be shocked as, Stig, who was rough with just about everyone he touched, gently lifted the skirl's face so they were eye to eye.

"Are you crazy Hal?" he asked with a laugh of his own. "I'm absolutely crazy about you. Seeing you pal around with Jesper was hard. Harder than beating Tursgud. I thought for the longest time I was getting mixed signals, that you really didn't like me at all." Hal listened quietly, watching as tears formed in the corner of Stig's eyes. He raised a hand and gently wiped them away, smiling hesitantly. Stig smiled back. "Uh Hal, don't hate me for what I'm about to do."

"Why would I ha?" But he was cut off by Stig's lips on his. They were a lot softer than he expected, and a lot warmer. Hal found himself weak at the knees, despite how girly it sounded. It was a good thing Stig had his arms around him, or he probably would've collapsed to the ground in a love-struck heap. "Gorlog's teeth Stig why would I hate you for that?" he asked when Stig pulled away. Stig rested his forehead against the skirl's, studying his expression. Hal appeared calm, but his eyes portrayed exactly how happy he really was. And that's when Stig knew he'd made the right decision. He gently kissed his friend again, feeling Hal hesitantly kiss back. He smiled and pulled away.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "But I didn't want you to hate me because of that. I've wanted to kiss you for days. And that dream you had? It wasn't really a dream. I was trying to kiss you. But you woke up, and I lost my nerve. I was going to, so long as you were asleep." Hal rested his head on Stig's shoulder again, drinking in his presence and listening to him speak. So, his dream had been reality. He almost wished Stig had kissed him in his sleep, so he could've woken up to it. But, at the same time, he was glad he'd waited, because he'd been up and alert when they'd shared their first kiss. "We should probably head back," Stig said after a little bit, releasing Hal. Hal sighed.

"Probably," he said unhappily. He followed as Stig led the way back to their home, but halfway through, Stig grabbed his hand and twined their fingers together. So when they finally did arrive, Hal was grinning like an idiot. "I don't want to go to sleep," he whispered as they both lay down. "What if this is a dream?" Stig pulled the skirl to himself, kissing his forehead.

"It's not a dream Hal," he said, holding him close. "Just go to sleep, okay?" He waited while Hal got himself settled, then simply listened to him breathe. Yes, he was aware that sounded creepy. No, he didn't care. He'd also deal with anything the other members of the brotherband said to him tomorrow. Right now, his best friend, and potential partner, needed him.

…

Yay they kissed! A year later oops. Oh well, maybe the wait was worth it?


End file.
